Le Lion d’Or is closing its doors to make a stronger comeback
In Cologny, the Lion d’Or is about to undergo a transformation. The fine-dining restaurant will serve its final dinner on September 26, before embarking on a major renovation. For this final evening, Léo Besnard and his teams will offer an all-inclusive menu for CHF 350.–, featuring a wine pairing and an aperitif served upstairs. The bistro and the Auberge will remain open for a few more days before closing on October 10. The restaurant hopes to make this final day more of a village-style, convivial gathering, surrounded by its producers, suppliers, winemakers, and cheesemakers, with fire pits, large communal tables, and dishes to share.
What’s next?
That is where the details still need to be worked out. No timeline for the construction work or reopening date has been announced at this stage. The project does, however, call for a major transformation of the Lion d’Or, including a new fine-dining restaurant, a brasserie, and various modernized dining rooms—notably to meet new energy efficiency requirements. Chef Léo Besnard will remain involved in the development of the future project. During the closure, the chef will also continue and expand the restaurant’s catering business. The Lion d’Or will therefore disappear from Geneva’s gastronomic scene for a while. The question is: for how long—and, above all, in what new light will we see it again?
